06 Oct 2014

A white mini-bus suddenly makes an abrupt stop at a bus stop. Without anyone signalling intention to board, it goes for an eccentric hooting.

Suddenly, students make way into the combi and it is off to Kagiso Senior Secondary School in Ramotswa.

To students on board, this is the beginning of today, which inevitably ignites the roller-coaster to start its motion. The everyday journey outlines the life of students who reside in Mmankgodi in the Kweneng District and yet schooling in the South East District.

Nevertheless traversing the two districts almost on daily basis is not a concern at all for these students. But it is what would unfold at the end of their high school tenure that gives them sleepless nights.

Hence they beat dawn daily to shape their prospects, which is regrettably against the school’s record of unenthusiastic performance. For a fact, majority of those who traversed the same route they are travelling have failed to make Kagiso a star reformer over the years and only managed to push it to the red zone.

A glimpse through the school’s performance record shows that the 2008 pass rate stood at 26.6 per cent before falling to 18.9 per cent the following year.

In 2010, Kagiso Senior recorded 21.6 per cent pass rate before slipping to 17.8 per cent in 2011 and further slipped to 16.3 per cent in 2012 and 14.36 per cent in 2013.

“The school has been at the bottom for some time now but we are struggling to beat that,” said the school head teacher Ms Chandapiwa Dladla during the recent school prize giving day.

“A lot of students come here as if their parents said they must come here, they have no motivation at all,” she elaborated. While she concedes that the school performance is unfortunate and demeaning Ms Dladla is of the view that indiscipline has contributed enormously to the catastrophic results.

According to her, they recently suspended six students comprising of five boys and a girl for allegedly selling drugs such as marijuana to fellow students in the school.

Although the initial plan was to suspend them pending dismissal, Ms Dladla said they reinstated them on request from the ministry authorities. Again, earlier this year boys hostels were closed following vandalism from students.

“It seems as if our students are occupied with other things other than the core, which is learning,” said Mr Moses Tshetlhana recently. The south east region chief education officer was summoned by the south east district council to account to the school performance.

Mr Tshetlhana said previous inspections have revealed that the school was overwhelmed by problems such as the aftermath of the 2010 industrial strike and indiscipline.

Though these problems are enough to justify underperformance, Mr Tshetlhana believes that part of the miserable performance emanate from students transferring out of the school.

This year alone, about 85 pupils who have obtained grade A and B have transferred out of the school, which leaves the school with mainly students who obtained grade C and D during their junior certificates.

Nevertheless, they have reinforced inspections as well as introducing extra lessons, tutorials and they are refurbishing the school facilities in an attempt to spur students’ performance.

However, in spite all the impressive interventions, not all students are excited about their life at the school. Among those interviewed who would be sitting for the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary School Education (BGCSE) were unhappy that they experienced shortage of teachers.

Something that Ms Dladla alluded recently during the parents’ teachers association, adding that a biology teacher had been on and off the hospital. She promised the matter was well under control and there was no need for students to panic saying they have introduced extra classes to ensure that missed lessons are replaced.

Notwithstanding that, not all students are impressed and reason that their future is so ebbed on the school offering education without any hiccup. Many said when they were admitted to the school they were aware of its underperformance but took comfort on the fact that sometimes failure brings success.

Today, they are wondering if failing to get a biology teacher on time and all other challenges that swamped the school this year will lead to success. “The name Kagiso means peace but you will get to understand that there was no peace in this school, but now the dust has settled and there is peace,” Ms Dladla said.

And as the clock ticks and students take their BGCSE examination, it is only time that would tell how the boys and girls of Kagiso Senior Secondary school fare and hopefully restore the lost pride. Ends